ALAMEDA — You’ve probably never heard of Rico Gafford, even if you’re a diehard Raiders fan.

He’s a 5-foot-10, 184-pound undrafted rookie wide receiver/defensive back hybrid out of Wyoming who has spent the entire season on the practice squad.

This week, however, he’s one of the most important players on the practice field. That’s because this week, Gafford is playing the role of Lamar Jackson, the dynamic Ravens rookie quarterback who could run circles around the Raiders in Baltimore on Sunday. Jackson ran 27 times for 117 yards in his starting debut last Sunday, a win against the Bengals, and an injury to regular starter Joe Flacco likely puts Jackson in the saddle again.

Gafford hasn’t played quarterback since dabbling his sophomore year of high school. His main job this week, in addition to throwing here and there, is to run as fast as he can all over the field without getting caught.

“I love running. That’s one thing about me. I just love running. I’m a track guy,” Gafford said. “Anyone who knows me will tell you, I run. I run a lot and I run fast, so like I said I’m just gonna do as best as I can to complement him and be the best Lamar Jackson that I can be.”

Gafford clocked a 4.22-second 40-yard dash at Wyoming Pro Day this spring, speed that stems from his high school track days running the 100- and 200-meter dashes. Gafford said his fastest 100-meter time was 10.6 seconds and his quickest 200-meter time was 21.4 seconds. On the high school field in Des Moines, Iowa, Gafford used that speed to run jet sweeps and hit the edge as a running back when he wasn’t under center.

“Obviously I feel like I’ve gotten faster since then,” Gafford said. “In high school, I never thought I was gonna be able to run a 4.2. Doing four years in college, not doing any type of track and going to my Pro Day and running a 4.2 was amazing to me. I just feel like I can always get better, always get faster. I just do what I can to work on speed and when the time comes for me to run, I just run.”

Gafford has played the roles of Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton and 49ers wideout Marquise Goodwin this season, and he’ll serve as Chiefs speedster Tyreek Hill next week. This week is the first and likely only time he’ll double as a quarterback, because Jackson is a rare breed in today’s NFL.

The rookie out of Louisville went to the Ravens with the last pick of the first round, and he served as a Swiss army knife while Flacco started at quarterback. Now that Jackson is No. 1 under center, the Raiders only have to worry about him there and not lined up outside or in the slot. Jackson has completed 20-of-31 passes this season for 237 yards, one touchdown and one interception, including a 13-of-19 mark for 150 yards and an interception in his first start last week. He’s even been targeted twice in the air this season. On the ground is where Jackson does most of his damage, though, as he’s run 55 times for 256 yards and one touchdown this season, including a 27-rush, 117-yard outing in start No. 1.

“You got to go back to Louisville and study him there. He’s got magnificent running ability,” Raiders coach Jon Gruden said. “He’s going to get better and better the more he plays, and we got to respect his passing ability and these receivers. We know a lot about them.”

Gruden said he’s never seen a quarterback run 27 times in a game, but Jackson told reporters this week to expect more passes against the Raiders.

That presents a dilemma to Raiders cornerbacks and safeties, who are charged with making quick reads before and after the snap to counter whatever Jackson might throw at them. As you’ll see from the next two answers, each position might have a different top priority when it comes to defending the rookie quarterback.

“I mean, he’s a great athlete, a great all-around player. He can definitely still hurt you with his arm, and that’s not something we want to take lightly,” Raiders cornerback Daryl Worley said. “We’ll definitely be plastering in coverage, knowing that if you are covering a guy, don’t come off of him. Let the other 10 guys do their job and hopefully that front eight can stop him.”

“We’re going to have to do a good job securing him in the run first, understanding that he’s an athlete so he’s looking to run before he passes,” Raiders safety Karl Joseph said. “We’ve got to contain this guy. He’s special with the ball in his hands.”

Raiders wide receiver/cornerback Johnny Holton, who served mainly as a deep threat last season, will also simulate Jackson. Gafford will draw primary duties, though, and Gruden said the Raiders will be “very, very creative on how we try to emulate and simulate the Ravens.”

The Colts’ Hilton only caught one pass for 34 yards against the Raiders after Gafford mimicked him in practice. The following week, Goodwin only caught one pass for 11 yards for the 49ers against Oakland.

Maybe Gafford is the secret sauce to holding opponents’ big-play guys in check. A quarterback unlike any the Raiders have seen this season is the next test for that theory.

“I’m just gonna do whatever they ask me to do. I do that every week and this week it’s to be Lamar Jackson,” Gafford said. “I’m gonna do it to the best of my ability to help the team succeed on Sunday.”

Matt Schneidman joined the Bay Area News Group in September 2017 to cover the Oakland Raiders. He graduated from Syracuse University in Spring 2017 and has interned with The Buffalo News, the New York Post and USA TODAY.